WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2077/97 by Riccardo GAROSCI to the Commission. Labelling of packaged foodstuffs
Date: 1997-06-11
Institutions: European Parliament, GAROSCI
Subjects: EU law, allergy, consumer information, consumer protection, epidemiology, foodstuff, labelling, prepared foodstuff, public health

C 21/140

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

22. 1. 98

(98/C 21/261)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2077/97

by Riccardo Garosci (UPE) to the Commission

(11 June 1997)

Subject: Labelling of packaged foodstuffs

Given that, according to the findings of scientific studies available from Commission DG XII, over one million
Italian consumers suffer from disorders caused by allergies to various types of food, while in the European Union
as  a  whole  there  are  estimated  to  be  more  than  seven  million  such  sufferers  (2%  of  the  population),  a  new
Regulation on the labelling of packaged foodstuffs should be introduced with a view to protecting the health of
European consumers.

Under the current EU Regulation ingredients comprising less than 25% of a given product are not subject to
labelling requirements.

Can the Commission amend the EU Regulation on the labelling of both products packaged within the EU and
foodstuffs imported from third countries, so as to enable allergy sufferers to determine the exact proportions of
all the ingredients present in packaged foodstuffs?

The Commission should note that, according to reliable scientific evidence, even very small quantities (less than
1%) are sufficient to produce a serious reaction in anyone allergic to a given foodstuff.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(2 July 1997)

The Commission is currently studying the need to amend Directive 79/112/EEC on the labelling of foodstuffs (1)
so as to provide better information for persons suffering from a food allergy or intolerance.

Eighteen  months  ago,  at  the  Commission’s  request,  the  Scientific  Committee  for  Food  finalised  a  report  on
scientific knowledge in this area. As the Honourable Member points out, a more general study in this field ›
(cid:145)Study of nutritional factors in food allergies and food intolerances(cid:146) (2) › was published at the beginning of this
year  at  the  Commission’s  initiative.  This  work  is  to  be  supplemented,  within  the  framework  of  scientific
cooperation  between  the  Member  States  and  the  Commission,  by  a  review  of  available  epidemiological  data
(effect, intake, geographical variations, frequency and degree of hypersensitivity). This is a necessary step in
defining the criteria for drawing up a list of ingredients recognised to be a source of allergy or intolerance and
which, when used in a foodstuff, should have to appear in the list of ingredients indicated on the label.

On the basis of the results of this epidemiological survey, due at the end of this year, the Commission might be in
a position to adopt a proposal to amend Directive 79/112/EEC.

(1)  OJ L 33, 8.2.1979, as last amended by Directive 97/4/EC › OJ L 43, 14.2.1997.
(2)  EUR/16893 (AIR1 › 93 › 8012-IT).

(98/C 21/262)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2084/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(19 June 1997)

Subject: JRC in Ispra

The Staff Regulations applicable to EU officials expressly forbid officials to engage in outside employment, even
if it is linked to the duties carried out for the institution for which they work.

It  would  appear  that  a  senior  official  at  the  JRC  in  Ispra  is  also  managing  director  or  chairman  of  various
companies located in northern Italy.

Does the Commission consider this situation to be in line with the provisions of the Staff Regulations?